The recent move by the Camino Real Regional Mobility Authority board to part ways with payday lender ACE Cash Express as the lone physical retailer for the Cesar Chavez Border Highway toll road has added more confusion to some already befuddled East Side residents.

"Now we'll have to find a new way to get them," said Jerry Henderson.

The four-year East Side resident said that he doesn't trouble himself with the new toll lanes on the border highway. Instead, Henderson takes "the long way" when driving to the West Side. This means taking Loop 375, Spur 601 and U.S-54 to avoid paying the toll.

Henderson added that, unless residents use the tolls constantly, most people don't know where to go to get tags, especially now that Camino Real cut ties with ACE. He also said that the city has not done a good enough job in educating people.

A former California and Illinois resident, Henderson said other cities have done a better job in offering public information and tags at various locations.

Addressing the criticism, Raymond Telles, director of the Camino Real Regional Mobility Authority, said they've made significant efforts to provide information to the public. This includes bilingual advertising for radio, television and print, Telles said.

He added that the website dedicated to the project is available in English and Spanish.

Telles and other board members of the regional authority have also attended public community meetings to offer information about the toll lanes on the border highway. The director said that he will continue to disseminate information to the public about the toll lanes.

Advertisement

Telles on Jan. 22, submitted a motion to the board to send a written notice to the North Texas Tollway Authority, which works with the mobility authority to handle toll collections, that the local agency would no longer use ACE Cash Express locations. The board voted 6-0 in favor of the motion.

"We got a lot of feedback from the community who made it clear they preferred we didn't use that particular retailer, and (the board) decided to make the change," Scott McLaughlin, chairman of the mobility authority board told the El Paso Times.

Telles said the other way to purchase toll tags is online at epexpress.org or by calling 351-8655. Camino Real is working with the City of El Paso so that it can accept cash, debit and credit to open and replenish TollTag accounts.

Through the January 22 Board meeting, North Texas Tollway Authority had issued a total of 323 TollTags — 50 through ACE and 273 through online and phone, Telles said.

People would be able to do so at the One-Stop-Shop at 811 Texas. This is where businesses and contractors can get building permits, business licenses, and code and zoning information.

"This would allow the public to walk in with cash and out with a TollTag," Telles said.

Despite the plans to offer TollTags at the One-Stop-Shop, Telles said there's no timeline of when the services will be available.

"We've provided training and are working with the city to make sure everything is good to go as soon as possible," Telles added.

Frank Salcido said that even though he is familiar with the changes taking place in terms of Camino Real parting with ACE and planning to offer TollTags through the One-Stop-Shop, he is still not sure of the toll lanes' success.

"I don't know how good it's going to be. I don't know how many people are going to use it," Salcido said.

"I'm not sure that this move will create confusion, and hope it doesn't," Telles said adding that the best way to educate people about the changes the Authority has made would be to continue to provide information.

"We simply need to continue to beat the drum about the website, continue to field the phone calls, run the TV and radio ads and make our presentations to any and all community groups and elected officials. That will have us.

"That's the only way that I know of to get our info out to the public," Telles said.

ODESSA, Texas (AP) — A West Texas man has been charged with impersonating an officer by using sirens and flashing lights to skip to the head of the drive-thru line at a fast-food restaurant. Full Story